The Comet
by BaeHalstead
Summary: The girl saw the comet and suddenly her life had meaning. Erin never thought the last time would be the actual last time. And here she is, on her daughter's 6th birthday thinking about what could have been. When he shows up that night everything changes. Whether for the worse or better, you'll need to read to find out! (Rated M in some sections)
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hello all! I got this idea in my head earlier tonight and I have literally gone crazy trying to finish it. At 5.1K words, it's my longest one shot ever. I really hope you guys like this because I worked super hard on it. Special thanks to Amna and Jayne for following along as I read and for the inspiration. Love you guys! **

* * *

Erin sat on her couch in silence, beer in hand as she thought about the last decade of her life. So much had changed since her first day in intelligence. It had been a while since she has taken her mind this far back into her memory, but recent events have her mind spinning.

Her only daughter had her 6th birthday today, and it lead Erin into a trip down memory lane.

The day they met.

Her first kiss with him.

The first time she slept with him.

Their first breakup.

Getting back together.

Breaking up again.

Giving birth to the baby girl she cherished more than anything.

Another breakup.

And the list goes on, a repetitive and dreadful cycle of fights and makeups.

It all came back in a series of flashbulb memories as she watched her daughter blow out the 6 candles on her Disney themed birthday cake earlier in the day. Since she arrived home, Erin found herself looking back on her life and thinking about how she got to where she is now. Alone on her couch while her daughter spent the rest of the day with her father. The father that Erin Lindsay would forever be in love with. But they weren't meant to be; as proven by the relationship that would crumble every time they tried to glue it back together.

She thought back to the fight that ended it forever, and until now she didn't realize that it had been 3 years since the last time she tasted his lips on hers. She missed him. A lot.

After he ended it she tried so hard to get him to come home, she begged him. She knew she fucked up; but she didn't know that such a tiny bump in the road would ruin their relationship forever.

Their friendship was never the same after that. Their conversations revolved around their daughter, and that was it. That poor girl, Erin's heart broke when she started asking where her daddy was, why he didn't come home anymore. There were times when instead of Erin being a mom, her kid would be the one doing the comforting. Many late nights spent in tears, her daughter would be cuddled into her side, wondering why her mom was so sad and why she couldn't make her feel any better.

A year after their breakup he announced his engagement; and Erin knew that was the end. A part of her was angry at him for not giving her a second chance, but the stronger part knew it was her fault anyway. Their daughter was the flower girl in his wedding, and she couldn't miss seeing her beautiful baby walk down the aisle, so she went. She was gorgeous; the woman that had his last name. Though all three of them knew she would never truly have his whole heart - it belonged to Erin. He settled, and it was her fault.

* * *

A sharp knocking on her door brought Erin back into reality. She tried to compose herself as she stood from the couch and made her way to the door. She wouldn't let him see her like this, not after all these years.

She swung open the door to the house they used to share, and was immediately greeted with a front toothless smile. "Hi mama!"

Erin opened the door wider in order for her daughter to zoom past her and into the house. "Hey baby, did you have fun with your dad?"

"Yeah! After the party daddy took me to get ice cream and then we went see uncle Will and he gave me a swimming pool for my barbies!"

"That's great, Court." She said with smile, then she finally looked up to the man who had her heart. " Hey Jay. Do you wanna come in? It's cold out."

Jay awkwardly stood in the doorway with his hands shoved deep in his pockets, and cleared his throat, "Uh, sure."

He followed her into the house and shut the door behind him. It always felt strange being back in that house for him. A part of him had always regretted the night he ended things, but he felt that Erin would never be completely in it after what happened; it got to the point where he felt she wasn't trying anymore, and he could no longer handle being in a one sided relationship. Even he didn't know that would be the last time they broke up. It was just them; they'd break up and be back in each other's arms 2 weeks later. The night Courtney was conceived was actually make up sex, and the duration of Erin's pregnancy was the longest they ever went without some stupid fight tearing them apart. He'd hoped putting a stop to things again would get Erin to have faith in them again. And when she did, he got scared, and didn't let her back in. Then he met Kayla, and she loved him. He liked the attention she gave him. He never intended on marrying her. Until one day he did, and he knew that would he'd never get another chance with the love of his life.

At one point, work got easier for them, and as promised all those years ago, they always had each other's backs. They never talked about their personal lives at work, apart from the occasional chat about their kid. Things were never better outside of work though, there was always tension when either of them picked up or dropped off Courtney.

* * *

"How was she today?" Erin asked in curiosity, Courtney was a good kid, and they knew that; but there were days when the young Halstead was quite the handful.

"She was good, I think she liked seeing her cousin."

Erin nodded, but didn't have a response so they stood in an uncomfortable silence in the middle of her living room.

After Courtney finished putting her new toys in her bedroom, she raced down the hallway in search of her parents. "Mama, can daddy stay for dinner? It is my birthday, after all!" She begged.

Erin glanced at Jay, then down at her daughter. "I don't know, baby. You're gonna have to ask him."

"Daddy, please stay for dinner! It's mama's special pancake birthday dinner. Don't you want to eat breakfast for dinner?"

Jay side eyed Erin, making sure it really was okay for her. They were always in agreement when it came to the kid, no matter how much it hurt the two of them. Bending down to her eye level, he gave his daughter the answer she was looking for, "Of course I'll stay for dinner."

Pancakes for dinner on birthdays was one of the few traditions Erin was able to keep with. Jay never missed one of Courtney's birthday dinners. He brought Kayla to Courtney's 4th birthday dinner, and definitely learned from that mistake. Courtney didn't like when other people imposed on their family time; unless it was grandpa Voight.

The three ate their pancakes with casual conversation every once in a while, and with only a few bites left, it was evident that Courtney was starting to get tired out. She was yawning excessively, and at one point she almost dropped her face onto the plate of syrup. "You had a long day, munchkin. You ready for bed?" Jay asked, noticing her droopy eyes.

She gave him a tired nod, and he scooped her up into his arms. While Jay carried her into her bedroom, Erin collected all of the dishes and put them in the sink. Once she was finished, she followed Jay's path into her little girl's room and found her fast asleep, with Jay looking down on her.

Erin crept up next to Jay, and joined him. "She's a pretty great kid, isn't she?"

"That's all you. You're a great mom." He wrapped an arm around her shoulder and immediately, Erin leaned into him.

She smiled, sadly, but didn't make eye contact with him. "I guess you're okay at being a dad, too." She rasped.

He let out a soft laugh, if there was anything he missed about Erin Lindsay, it was her gift of being able to become with the snarkiest of remarks on the spot.

Erin inhaled his scent as he rubbed his hand up and down her upper arm; the action sent shivers down her spine, and suddenly she felt herself turning in his arms and hugging him.

While at first he was shocked, he couldn't help but hug her back. They squeezed each other tight, not knowing when the other would let go, or when they would have enough courage to hug again. He gently tickled her back while she leaned into him with every ounce of her body.

Jay eventually pulled away when he felt a wetness on the center of his shirt. "Why are you crying?" He asked her, moving one of his hands to wipe away the tears.

Her lips turned into a sad smile and she leaned her head into his palm, "I just miss you. I miss us. And it kills me that we'll never get another chance. And I know it's my fault and that if I wasn't so reckless the four of us-"

"Hey, stop." He interrupted, pulling her into another hug. "You know there wasn't anything you could have changed. We did everything right, that pregnancy just wasn't meant to be. If anyone's to blame, it's me. I shouldn't have pushed you so hard to get over it right away. I should have been able to see why it was different for you. I'm the one that gave up on us. Not you; me."

Erin only cried harder into his chest, "You wanted me, and I couldn't give that to you. I'm sorry I wasn't enough." Her arms snaked up his body and wrapped around his neck, and she placed kisses on his shirt covered chest, "I'm so," Kiss. "so," Kiss. "sorry."

Jay stood tense as a rock while she peppered kisses further up his body. His hands trapped on her hips, he could feel himself growing harder with every kiss.

Eventually, Erin's kisses had reached all the way up his neck, and along his jaw, and were now on the corners of his lips. She pulled away slightly to look into his eyes, and she could see the same look of desire and lust that she saw so long ago staring back at her, and she decided to risk it.

She softly captured his lips with hers and when he didn't immediately kiss her back, she moved to pull away; but the moment she tried, his grip tightened on her hips and his mouth moved against hers.

Their tongues danced in sync, as Jay's hands explored the body he hadn't touched in years, stopping when they met her jaw. Things were rapidly becoming heated, and neither could bring themselves to stop. No matter how badly they needed the air, the need for each other was far more intense.

When Jay finally stopped to breathe, he looked down to her, and lifted her into his arms without speaking. They'd missed each other so much, neither realizing how much they really needed one another until this moment; he couldn't bring himself to ruin it.

They didn't break apart until they reached Erin's bedroom. It still looked exactly the way it did before they broke up. Nude walls and the baby blue bedding. Even the photo that was taken of the three of them on the day Courtney was born still sat on the bedside table. While he lay Erin down on the bed and removed his shirt, he wondered if any other man had slept in his bed since he left. Probably, he thought; he had no control over what Erin did, hell, he married someone else.

For a brief moment he thought about Kayla, and the consequences this was going to bring to his marriage, but Erin Lindsay was lying half naked in front of him, and his brain was foggy. In this moment, Erin was what he needed, and he was what she needed, and that was all that mattered.

He ground his hips against hers as their mouths matted together. The two of them were cherishing every second, and didn't want to rush this. He parted their lips, and with one hand pinned both of Erin's above her head. He used the other to unbutton her jeans and slid his hand underneath the denim. Hey toyed with her clit, causing a moan to slip from Erin's mouth into his, before thrusting two fingers deep into her core. His lips traveled from her mouth to her neck, to her collarbone, then back up in the opposite direction. As his fingers thrust harder into her, he released her wrists from above her and tangled his free hand in her hair.

Her eyes were closed when he looked down on her, and he promptly removed his fingers, causing a slight gasp to be released from her lips. Hovering over her, he kicked off his shoes and pants, and then removed hers before replacing his lips on her milky skin.

Erin's hands found their way into Jay's hair as his head went deeper along her body, and he began sucking and licking her clit. She let out a moan of pleasure as his tongue became readjusted to the familiar lips. And groaned when he suddenly stopped.

Before she had a chance to ask for more, her lips were attached to his once again. They panted as she flipped them over and started to rub herself against his hard cock. She teased him a while longer, and when she finally slid onto him, a wave of immediate pleasure hit them both. Erin was only in control for seconds before Jay rolled them back into their original position. He thrust deep into her, hungry for more; trying to make up for all the lost time in recent years.

As they came, their screams were muffled into one another's mouths, desperately trying not to awaken the 6 year old that was peacefully asleep two doors down.

* * *

Rolling off her, Jay pulled the comforter over their naked bodies and pulled Erin into his side. He traced random patterns up and down her arm, while she did the same on his chest. Their breathing was heavy, and for the first time in 3 years, the silence was comfortable.

They knew what was going to happen when the silence broke. Jay would go home to his wife and Erin would probably cry herself to sleep to a cold and empty bed. It was inevitable, and Erin was now officially the other woman, but for some reason, she didn't feel bad about it. She only felt bad about the fact that he'd be going home Kayla instead of herself.

They rest in silence for a long while, it was going on 11 when Jay finally climbed out of the bed. "I should go."

Erin got up as well and found something to sleep in, "Yeah, you're right. I'll see you tomorrow." Her voice croaked, and she turned away from him so he couldn't see the tears pricking her eyes.

"Erin." He called, but she didn't turn around, which forced him to gently tug on her bicep. She refused to look at him still. "Er, look at me." When she met his eyes, the unfallen tears began to stream down her face. He repeated his gesture from earlier in the night, and wiped the tears from her face. "I love you, you know that? I always will."

She nodded her head and he gave her a quick kiss goodbye. Neither knew where they stood.

* * *

The following morning, work felt like the day Jay told the unit about his engagement to Kayla. They didn't speak all day, Voight could sense something was off and partnered Erin up with Antonio, so they didn't even need to speak about work related topics.

It was nearing the end of the work day when Jay approached Erin in the break room. So many important conversations have been held in the Intelligence Unit break room, it was sort of their spot. She prepped him a cup of coffee the way she knew he likes it and handed it to him when he was in arm's reach. "Last night..." He started.

"Save it, I know what you're going to say." She interrupted. After pausing and taking a sip of coffee, she added "And you're probably right. It was irresponsible and shouldn't have happened." She didn't wait for a response, and he let her walk away for the thousandth time in the last decade.

Later that night, after Courtney was in bed, Erin found herself in the same position as the previous night. Only this time, the memories were fresh in her mind. She could still feel his lips on her skin, and his scent still lingered in her bed. She walked into her daughter's room to make sure she had all of her stuff packed for when she left for her father's in the morning.

Sitting in her daughter's bedroom she heard a faint knock coming from the front door. She got up from her respective spot on the floor and moved to answer the door. As soon as she pulled the door open, her mouth was attacked by the man that was taking over her thoughts. He guided to her to the bedroom, and every time she tried to protest, he silenced her with kisses. "You didn't let me finish earlier. If you had, I could have told you that last night wasn't a mistake." He said before reattaching their lips.

He stayed the night that night; Kayla had left that night for a business trip, so he didn't need to go home. And they planned for him to wake up early the next morning so Courtney wouldn't know he slept over.

* * *

They continued sneaking around for several months after that. Surprisingly enough, it was the most successful they had been at keeping a steady relationship between them since Erin was pregnant. Their partnership at work improved by miles, and finally, after all these years things were normal again for them. There were times where they thought someone was catching on, and they'd "cool it" as they did all those years ago, but they couldn't keep their hands off each other. It was like they back in the beginning, before all of the drama happened. It was simple.

It was official, after a solid seven year relationship, Ruzek and Burgess were finally tying the knot. Their engagement party was tonight and all of intelligence was going to be in attendance. Save(except?) Voight, who offered to watch Courtney for the night. He'd much rather spend a quiet evening at home with his silly granddaughter than with a bunch of silly adults who had way too much alcohol in their systems.

It hurt Erin when she say Jay walk through the doors of the lounge with Kayla's arm looped through his. She quickly downed her glass of whiskey and found someone to mingle with in order to avoid him. Nearing the end of the night, she was pretty wasted. While she managed to avoid Jay and Kayla for most of the night, alcohol became her best friend. It barely phased her when Kim asked her to be a bridesmaid in her wedding. "You alright?" Kim had asked the spaced out Erin. Her gaze was focused on the 'happy' couple dancing several feet away from them.

"Sorry what?"

"I asked if you're okay. You seem a little, off." Burgess picked her words carefully, she didn't want to be on the receiving end of an Erin Lindsay outburst at her own party.

Clearing her throat and shifting her focus to the woman in front of her, Erin responded with, "Yeah, I'm good. I'm gonna run to the restroom." She stumbled out of the bar stool she was seated in and drunkenly made her way towards the bathroom.

Jay saw Erin shuffle towards the bathroom and excused himself from his wife to go and check on her. He followed her through the crowd and straight into the women's restroom. "What do you want?" She asked, her back facing him. She knew he was going to follow her, but that didn't mean she wanted to talk to him.

"You're drunk." He said.

"What's it to you?" Erin questioned, finally turning to face him.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"C'mon Jay you know exactly what I mean." She said, a mix of anger and sadness in her voice. "Do you think it's easy for me to see you with her? Our best friends' engagement party and you bring her. I can't dance with you; or kiss you." By this point, tears were streaming down her face.

"Erin, she's my wife. I-"

"I know what she is to you Jay. I was there. I watched you say your vows while looking directly at me. I've seen you tell her you love her, but it's not there; it isn't in your eyes. I know you, Jay Halstead. She may be your wife, but that doesn't change the fact that it kills me to see you with her." She tried to leave the bathroom, but he blocked her path to the door. "Let me go." She begged.

"No."

"Let me go." Erin said again, more sternly, taking a step closer to him.

"Erin." He said softly. When she didn't answer, he took another step towards her, practically erasing the distance between them.

Erin regretted looking up the very moment her eyes made contact with his. Without thinking, she kissed him hungrily. Each one of their kisses were tender and sweet. Clothes were shed and soon enough he was inside her. It was quick, but it felt like the world was turning in slow motion. Since they started their 'fling' the sex was usually rushed and messy. And while this time was just as rushed, it felt more meaningful. It was like they had finally released all of the pent of feelings they had put away. Before, it was more about the sex; this time they gave it their all.

Once finished, a not as drunk searched the spacious bathroom for her discarded panties. "Jay, I was wearing panties. Do you see them anywhere?" She asked, flustered.

Jay looked around, but didn't see them and shook his head. "Forget about 'em. Going commando is sexy." He smirked, and she scoffed in return. "Kidding." He reassured, fixing his tie. "Do you want a ride home?" He offered after a few seconds of looking for her still missing underwear.

"You sure that's a good idea?" She questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"It's better than you driving, how much have you had to drink?"

She shook her head in annoyance, "Don't start this whole 'protective boyfriend' crap on me Jay. I get it, I'm a good lay. You don't need to pretend that you care to spare my feelings." She was putting up her walls again. It was a defense mechanism, and she felt like she was losing him all over again. If she pushed him away, she'd spare herself another broken heart.

Jay tilted his head to the side and scoffed, "You and I both know that's not true. I'm driving you home. Give me your keys." They walked out of the bathroom together, Erin leaning on Jay for support, she still couldn't manage to walk in a straight line after the amount of alcohol she consumed.

Jay caught Kayla on his way out, and handed her the keys to his car, "This one is sick, I'm gonna drive her to her place. I'll see you at home." They thanked Kim and Adam for inviting them, and walked out of the lounge. Kayla staring them down like a hawk.

He hauled Erin into the back seat of the vehicle and climbed into the driver's seat. She fell asleep on the way home, and he had a difficult time getting her into the house, as she could barely stand on her own two feet.

He carried her into her room and removed her shoes, then her dress and found something in her dresser for her to sleep in. After slipping the oversized t-shirt over her arms and head he pulled the covers back and tucked her in. He bent down to kiss her forehead, but instead she groggily captured his lips with hers.

On his way out, he heard her rasp his name, "What is it, gorgeous?" He asked sincerely.

"I hate you." The words exited her mouth like venom. He knew she didn't mean them, but it didn't make them hurt any less. She was upset and jealous and had a rough night. He didn't blame her at all. Besides, he knew she wasn't going to remember it the morning, so he brushed it off.

* * *

Erin woke up the next morning with an excruciating headache. The last thing she remembered from the night before was talking, or arguing, with Jay in the bathroom. The rest of the night was a blank.

Dragging herself out of bed, she put on a pot of coffee and took a quick shower. She had to be at work in less than an hour, and it was killing her not knowing what had happened with Jay.

It was a slow morning for Intelligence, and everyone was glad, most of them suffering from hangovers from the party.

Around noon, Jay asked Erin if she wanted to grab a bite for lunch, and she gratefully accepted. Partially because she wanted to know about last night, and partially because he always pays. As they walked down the stairs of Intelligence, they were met halfway with an annoyed looking Platt. "You've got company, Halstead."

Jay peeked over her shoulder and saw his wife standing at the front desk. He was upset because he was looking forward to going to lunch with Erin and discussing their current predicament. Kayla's face of joy turned green watching her husband descend the stairs with Erin. "Kayla, what are you doing here?" Jay asked timidly.

Kayla tried to hide the jealousy that had washed over her face in a matter of seconds, "I just thought I'd drop by and take my husband out for some lunch." She answered, with extra enunciation on the word 'husband', making eyes at Erin.

Jay faked a smile, "Thanks, I appreciate that. But you should have called; I already have plans with Erin."

Erin tried to intervene, "No, Jay. Go, I mean after all; she is your wife." Amongst the short conversation between Jay and Kayla, she remembered snippets of their bathroom argument.

"You're right, I am his wife." Kayla spoke proudly, "Not just the whore he's been sleeping with." She raised her voice as she neared the end of sentence, and it caused the entire precinct to shut down. The room was so quiet you'd be able to hear a pin drop.

Jay and Erin shared a look, and the it would be an understatement to say she was upset. "Kayla, not here. Let's go upstairs." He attempted to guide her away from the ever growing crowd but she roughly pulled her arm out of his grasp.

"Why Jay? You don't want all your friends to know that you're a cheating scumbag?"

Jay sucked in a breath and carefully worded his next sentence, "No, but I'd rather not have my entire district know that my wife has been cheating on me for most of our marriage with various men in several different cities, so if you'd follow me upstairs that'd be great." He made eye contact with Erin before he rushed back up the stairs to intelligence, Kayla following closely behind, completely red in the face.

"Alright back to work everybody." Platt called out from behind her desk.

Erin stood frozen in the center of the district. Jay never once told her about Kayla's infidelity, and it was a shock to have to find out with several uniforms and detectives as witnesses.

Kayla stormed out of the 21st twenty minutes later, and it was then that Erin finally decided to walk back upstairs. She found Jay sitting alone in the break room, clearly frustrated and disoriented from his fight with Kayla. She made her way towards him and sat at the table across from him, "Why didn't you tell me?"

Jay looked up and into her eyes, "I was ashamed. I've known the entire time. I guess I felt that if I couldn't make my marriage work with her, I wouldn't be able to make it work with anyone. And I know this is hypocritical of me, but things were going so great for you and I lately. I didn't want to ruin it by popping our bubble." There was a sense of vulnerability in his eyes that Erin's never seen before. In the entire length of time they'd known each other, never once has she seen this look before.

She absentmindedly took his hands in hers, words didn't need to be spoken, the gesture was enough.

* * *

Jay filed for divorce that day and moved out a week later, moving back home to Erin and Courtney - his girls. Though for several months, he and Erin technically slept in separate bedrooms, with the occasional 'sleepover' when needed. They decided to start their relationship from scratch, and even though they already had a child together, they didn't want to rush things. This time around, they wanted to things right.

* * *

"Happy birthday dear Courtney, happy birthday to you!" The entire room sang before Courtney blew out the big '7' shaped candle on her cake.

"Happy birthday baby." Erin said as she kissed her daughter's temple.

"Let me get a picture!" A very pregnant Kim Ruzek (nee Burgess) called from the opposite end of the table. Jay, Erin, and Courtney were all huddled into each other, and Kim couldn't pass up this photo op!

They ended the night watching one of Courtney's favorite movies with plates of pancakes on their laps. And as Erin watched Jay carry their daughter to her room, she thought about how much had changed in just a short 365 days.

They slept together.

Their scandalous affair.

The "I hate you" she found out about months after it was said.

His divorce.

His coming home.

Their engagement.

For the first time in Erin Lindsay's life, she was happy. She had a family that most people can only dream of. She was happy, and so was he.

_"__The girl saw the comet and suddenly her life had meaning."_

* * *

**A/N 2: Title (courtesy of Jayne) was inspired by One Tree Hill, and I took several concepts of this fic from various OTPs. I'm not sure if anyone picked up on the cause of Jay and Erin's original break up. If you think you did, let me know! I kinda left it a secret because I might turn this into a series of one shots in relation to this original one. Let me know if you'd like me to, because I really like the Linstead I have here. If that does happen, the one shots can be requested, and it could be past or future, whatever you decide. Again, I hope you guys liked this story, I enjoyed writing it! Don't forget to leave me a review and let me know what your thoughts are! :)**


	2. Mother's Day

**A/N: Hey guys, here's the second one shot of this series! I hope you guys like it, don't forget to leave a review! Thanks :)**

Mother's Day

"Daddy, where are we going?" A very curious Courtney Halstead asked her father. They'd been on the road since he picked her up from school almost an hour prior.

Jay glanced at his rearview mirror, looking back at her, "Do you know what day it is on Sunday?" he asked her.

Courtney's eyes went wide, "Yes! It's Mother's Day. Today at school we made presents," she said excitedly.

"Oh yeah? What did you make for mommy?"

"I made her a special oven mitt that has my handprint on it and it says 'Always lending you a helping hand'," she explained. Courtney was happy that this year she'd get to spend Mother's Day with both of her parents. Her friends were always talking about the things they did with their fathers on Mother's Day, and she'd never been able to since he didn't live with them. Ever since he moved back home, she could tell how much happier her mom was. She never heard her mom crying in the middle of the night anymore, and that was because of her dad. "So, where are we going?" she asked again after a few minutes.

"Well, we are going to surprise mommy with a trip to my cabin up in Wisconsin for the weekend. We are going up there to set everything up," he simply told her.

"A cabin? Is it in the woods? Are there bugs there? You know I don't like bugs, daddy," she warned.

Jay chuckled, thinking back to when he first told Erin about Wisconsin, and her dislike of mosquitos. "Don't worry, the bugs will only be outside, and we'll bring repellant."

Courtney was content with that answer and stared out the window before eventually drifting off to sleep. About an hour later, Jay was shaking his daughter awake. He had already brought in all of the bags he'd need that contained groceries, cleaning supplies, etc.; the only thing left in the car was Courtney.

She jolted awake a few moments later and took in her surroundings. After composing herself, she hopped out of the car and skipped into the large cabin, excitement on her face; Jay following shortly behind. "So what do we have to set up, daddy?" she asked once they were both inside.

Jay looked around, "Well, first we have to put the groceries away so that we can make breakfast for mommy on Sunday morning. Then, we'll need to clean up a little. Don't you think it's dusty in here?" he asked with a laugh.

Courtney giggled, "Maybe a little bit," she said. "C'mon, let's go! If we don't get home soon mom will get worried," she stated matter of factly.

Jay nodded in response, "Smart thinking, little one."

* * *

The two spent the rest of the afternoon cleaning the house. They left around 6:30 that night and were on there way home when Erin called, "Hey babe, what's goin' on?" Jay asked her through the phone.

"_I just got home from work, where are you guys?" _Erin asked.

"We had to run out for a bit," Jay looked at the time, they'd been on the road for about an hour and a half, "we'll be home in about a half hour or so we'll bring dinner. See you then, love you."

"_Yeah, love you too." _she replied. As she ended the call she narrowed her eyes in suspicion, wondering where they were and what they were doing.

Just over a half hour after they ended their phone call, Jay walked through the door carrying some Chinese take-out, Courtney hot on his heels. He'd reminded her not to tell Erin about the cabin before they got out of the car. He could only hope his 7 year old could keep the secret.

Erin padded her way out from the living room, greeting them in the kitchen, "So, where were you guys?" she asked, hopping up on the counter next to where Jay was unpacking the take-out.

Jay shrugged, "We just had to run to the store for a few things, then we stopped and got dinner," he said, leaning over to kiss her cheek. "How was work after I left today? Anything big happen?"

She picked at the plate Jay was preparing for Courtney, "Not really, I guess Ruzek may have gotten a lead, but we need a warrant before anything can be done about it, so Voight sent us home."

Jay swatted her hand away from their daughter plate, "Stealing from a 1st grader are we now?" he teased.

"I'm starving. Excuse me if my boyfriend was missing when I came home and couldn't eat anything."

"Courtney, come and get your dinner!" Jay called out. Courtney had rushed up the stairs after saying hello to her mom to hide the present she'd made at school that day.

The three ate dinner, and Jay was thankful when they got through it without Courtney slipping up about the surprise.

While Erin did the dishes, Jay was tucking Courtney into bed, "Remember I'm going to wake you really early tomorrow so we can get on the road, okay?"

Courtney nodded with droopy eyes, already falling asleep after spending a majority of the day in the car, "Okay daddy. G'night. I love you."

Kissing her forehead, Jay said, "I love you too, sweets."

* * *

As Erin attempted to hit the snooze button on her alarm clock, she felt a pair of warm lips trailing kisses on her neck. Her eyes stayed closed as she enjoyed the pleasure, "Mmm," she moaned.

"Good morning, beautiful. Ready to get up?" she heard Jay husk into her ear.

She nuzzled her bottom half closer into his crotch, feeling the pressure of an acute erection on her ass. "Five more minutes," she mumbled.

Jay had woken up over an hour ago and packed a bag for each of them, and got Courtney up and ready. Pulling Erin's body even closer to his he whispered into her ear, "Nope, we gotta get up now."

Erin rolled away from him, then turned to face him, "Why? We don't need to be at work for another hour," she groaned.

Jay grinned, running his fingers up and down her side, "We're not going to work today," he said before capturing her lips.

"What? Why not?" Erin asked through the kiss.

With a groan and a huff, Jay flopped onto his back, "It's a surprise. Now, stop being so difficult and get out of bed," he said before hopping out of bed and leaving the room.

Erin propped herself up with her elbows and watched him leave the room, confusion spread across her face.

After she was ready, Erin walked downstairs and found Jay and Courtney sitting on the couch, watching some Saturday morning cartoons. She smiled at the scene in front of her, Courtney sat on Jay's lap; pointing and laughing every so often at the television.

"You force me to get up and you're down here watching TV? What's the rush?" she asked, making her way towards her two favorite people.

"Mama! You're awake! Ready to go?" Courtney piped up, jumping up from her father's lap and already running to the front door.

Jay stood from his seat and walked past Erin, following Courtney, "Yeah, mommy, let's get going," he buzzed into her ear.

For the second time that day, Erin furrowed her brows as she watched Jay walk away. Why was he acting so weird? she thought to herself. She scoffed, grabbed her gun and badge, and locked up the house on her way out, finding Courtney and Jay already in the car.

After an hour on the road, Erin was getting frustrated being so out of the know, "So, you ever gonna tell me where you're taking me, Halstead? Or am I gonna have to report a kidnapping?" she said with a laugh.

Jay laughed softly, "You'll find out soon enough," he said, taking one hand off the wheel and grasping one of hers.

She turned towards Courtney, who was playing on their iPad in the backseat, "What about you, Court? Do you know where we're going?" she asked, her eyes begging for an answer she could work with.

Courtney nodded, she took a quick glance at her father who shot her a warning look before Erin asked, "And where might that be, babe?"

She sealed her lips together, shaking her head, "Uh-uh, mommy, daddy told me I'm not allowed to say," she said.

Giving up, Erin turned around just in time to see the large 'Welcome to Wisconsin' sign on the side of the road, "Seriously? You're taking me to Wisconsin?" she sneered, "I thought you gave up on this years ago."

Jay turned his head, facing her, "You thought I gave up on our retirement plans? Never, even when we were apart I knew someday we'd bring Courtney here."

Erin opened her mouth like she was going to say something, but never did. She quietly reattached their hands and looked out the window onto the open road ahead, smile on her face.

* * *

When they arrived to the cabin a while later, Erin was shocked at how beautiful it actually was. In her head, she'd always imagined a small, one studio-like cabin. She didn't expect the large, 3 bedroom, 3 bathroom log cabin that was just as nice, if not nicer, than their home in Chicago. The kitchen and bathrooms looked like they had been recently renovated, at least within the last 10 or so years. All of the furniture seemed as if it'd never even been used. Erin looked around the cabin in awe, taking in all of the details.

She felt Jay's strong arms wrap around her small figure, "So," he kissed her shoulder, "what do you think?" he asked.

Erin turned in his embrace, "It's more beautiful than I'd ever imagined. Thank you for bringing me here," she said, genuinely grateful.

"You're the only person I've ever even thought of bringing here. I'm glad you like it," he told her, leaning down to press his lips against hers.

As Erin stood on her toes to gain better access, and things become more heated, they were interrupted when their giddy 7 year old pranced down the stairs, "Mommy! Daddy! I put my swimsuit on can we go swimming in the lake?" she asked.

Both Erin and Jay laughed, "Sure baby, but it's probably gonna be cold. It's still spring," Jay said.

"That's okay!" she quickly exclaimed, running out of the house.

Erin followed her outside and Jay went to fetch her a towel, knowing full well she'd want to get out the second she put her little body into the water.

Courtney ran down the dock and jumped into the water, screeching when she hit the freezing water. Her teeth were jittering and her lips were turning blue, but she refused to get out of the water. "It's not that cold, mama. Get in with me!" she begged, but Erin only shook her head. "How 'bout you dad?"

"I think I'm gonna stay dry for now, but thanks for the offer," he chuckled.

"Okay, but you guys are missing out," she said, her voice shaking from her current body temperature.

Her parents sat on the dock, Erin cuddled into Jay's side, they'd share a kiss every once in a while, but for the most part just watched their daughter enjoy herself. After about 20 minutes of watching their daughter freeze her little tushy off, Jay called out to her, "Hey Court, how about we go back to the house and get in the hot tub, warm up a little bit?"

As quickly as she had gotten in the water, she jumped out in excitement, "Yes! Why didn't you say that before, silly?" she asked as she approached Jay and Erin, wrapping the towel around her tiny body.

Jay carried her back to the house, and went out to the back deck to take the top off the hot tub and get it started, Courtney watched from a nearby chair. Erin had gone upstairs to change into a bathing suit.

When she came down, and exited the glass door, Jay had to suck in a breath. She was so beautiful, and of the three suits he'd packed for her, she was wearing his favorite. "Damn," he whispered.

Erin walked towards him and wrapped her arms around his neck, matting their lips together, "How did I ever let you go?" he whispered once they parted, their foreheads resting against each other.

Closing her eyes, Erin let out a breath, "Don't. We're passed that, don't bring it up now, kay?" she begged, finally looking into his eyes.

"Can I get in now?" Courtney's voice tore them away from each other. She had been watching the water ever since her mother came down.

Erin cleared her throat, "Yeah baby, you can get in. Go change, Jay." she gave him a quick peck and joined Courtney in the hot tub.

After Jay changed into a pair of swimming trunks, he walked outside and noticed that Erin was alone in the hot tub. Climbing in beside her asked where Courtney went.

"I told her she could bring some of her bath toys in here, she went to go get them," she said, running her fingers through the warm water.

Jay took hold of her hand, grabbing her attention, "I'm sorry about what I said, you know I didn't mean anything by it," he told her.

Erin shook her head, "I know that. I just like to pretend the past four years never happened. It's easier that way. I love you, and it hurts when I think about how long we were apart. Can we just - not talk about it anymore, we need to move forward," she said.

Jay couldn't find the words to reply in the right way, so instead, he moved his hand to her neck, and gave her a passionate kiss, "Okay," he said after removing his lips. From the corner of his eye, he saw Courtney coming around the corner. Right before she hopped back into the water, Jay whispered into Erin's ear, "I can't wait 'till she goes to bed and I can have you, naked, in this very hot tub."

Erin blushed, "Shut up," she said, whacking him on the chest.

* * *

They stayed in their bathing suits for the rest of the day, though Erin threw on one of Jay's t-shirts over hers. Jay grilled the three of them steaks for dinner, along with baked potatoes, and per Courtney's request - Mac &amp; Cheese.

"Alright time for bed, Court," Jay said, scooping her up into his arms, causing a fit of giggles to escape her lips.

"But daddy I didn't take a bath!" she reasoned; she'd do anything to get to stay up a little bit later.

Erin walked by then, tousling Courtney's hair with her fingers, "I guess you'll have to take one tomorrow then," she said.

"Ugh, fine then," Courtney groaned. While she fought it, Courtney was asleep shortly after her head had hit the pillow, leaving Jay and Erin completely alone.

Walking downstairs, Jay found Erin cuddled up on the couch, beer in one hand, some novel in the other. He approached her and tore the items out of her hands before lying on top of her. After making out for a bit, Jay said, "So, about that hot tub…" he trailed off.

Erin reached for the string on his trunks, untying the neat bow, then pulled the t-shirt off of her body, smirking.

Jay did his signature eyebrow raise and threw Erin over his shoulder, lightly smacking her barely covered ass.

The second they were in the hot tub, Erin's top had already been tossed somewhere on the deck and she was straddling Jay, kissing him as if her life was on the line. One of Jay's hands was in her hair, the other massaging her breast. Erin's hands traveled up and down his muscular body. Jay lifted his hips to allow Erin to slide them down his legs, which prompted her to follow. As soon as Erin's bikini bottoms were gone, Jay was inside of her. She let out a slight gasp as she adjusted to him, before thrusting with him. Once they both reached an orgasm, they dried themselves off and went upstairs, with no plans of going to sleep anytime soon.

* * *

Jay woke up the next morning much earlier than Erin, and went to wake up Courtney so they could prepare breakfast for Erin.

The pair made pancakes, sausage, and eggs. Courtney put together a yogurt parfait that she was extremely proud of, it consisted of strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries. Jay's original plan was to bring Erin down to the kitchen, but after countless minutes of begging on Courtney's part, he agreed to breakfast in bed.

"Wait!" Courtney called just as Jay was about to enter the master bedroom. She swiftly ran to the bedroom she'd slept in and went into her bag, pulling out the present she made for Erin. "I almost forgot mommy's present," she said, returning to the hallway.

She bursted into the bedroom and jumped on to the bed, "Happy Mother's Day, mama!" she screamed, hopping right on top of Erin and handing her the oven mitt. Erin was glad she'd decided to put a shirt on the night before, considering most of the time she and Jay never had the energy to redress after sex.

A smile took over Erin's face, "Thank you, sweetie. What's this?" she asked.

Courtney moved off of Erin, now cuddling into her side, "It's for cooking! We made them at school on Friday," she explained.

"It's perfect, thank you so much," Erin said kissing the top of her daughter's head.

"Me and daddy also made you breakfast," Courtney beamed.

"I see," Erin said, smiling at Jay who was still holding the tray of food. "thank you guys. I love you."

The three dug into the homemade breakfast Jay and Courtney made and spent the rest of the day swimming and exploring the nearby woods.

**A/N: Thanks for reading, I hope you all liked it! I will be taking requests for future requests, so please send them in! You can leave your request in a review or PM me, either way I'll get to it as soon as I can! :)**

**P.S- the one shots can be requested for any point in time (i.e before they got back together). I think the next one I will write will be the official fight that lead to their final breakup before the story, so keep an eye out for an update.**


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